Close to Shipquay Gate lies the neo-Gothic Guildhall, the largest public building in Londonderry and once the home of the city's government. The interior is lavishly wood-panelled and contains very beautiful stained glass, chronicling the history of the city and its place in the British colonial adventure. Also close to the river is the Harbour Museum, which details the history of the port of Derry, including its role as an emigration port in the nineteenth century and the vital part it played in World War Two. A few minutes' walk is the Foyle Valley Railway, a reconstructed steam railway that travels south along the river to Donegal: this is a great trip for the children and on a fine day affords fine views of the green valley of the Foyle. Between the river and the city walls, meanwhile, lies the district known as the Fountain: this is the last predominantly Protestant area on the western side of the river and contains some fascinating political murals.

A few minutes' stroll north brings you to the Foyle Arts Centre, which has studio space for theatre and dance. Not far from there you can see the rapidly expanding University of Ulster at Magee College. Its hillside campus gives great views of the river and mountains beyond. Two miles north of the city centre is the striking Foyle Bridge, the longest in Ireland and one that has sweeping views of the city and the countryside. Further north - you'll need a car to make the short trip - is the
Amelia Earhart Centre, a museum which commemorates the unexpected arrival of this famous pilot in the city following her celebrated trans-Atlantic flight. The story goes that Earhart radioed her support staff to tell them she had landed in Paris, so impressed was she by the Georgian elegance of Londonderry. (A true story? Of course!)

The Waterside

The Waterside is the name given to that part of Londonderry on the eastern side of the Foyle. This district is only a stroll from the city centre across the Craigavon Bridge. The area is largely residential but is also home to some of the city's most distinctive sights, notably the Workhouse Museum, which details the history of the Irish Famine in the north-west. The political murals in Irish Street are also worth a look: they give an insight into working-class Protestant culture in this predominantly Catholic city. They are especially intriguing if viewed against the context of their counterparts in the Bogside. Splendid views of the city can be had from the hill-top Waterside suburbs, while on the southern edge of the city lies the Prehen Boat House. The excellent City of Derry Golf Club is about a mile from the Waterside. The city's Airport is some eight miles north of the city, near the village of Eglinton; it offers services to London (Stanstead), Glasgow, Dublin, Manchester and (in summer) Jersey.

Around Londonderry

Donegal lies only a few minutes' drive west of the city and contains some of Ireland's best-loved and dramatic scenery. The Inishowen peninsula is Ireland's most northerly district and has traditionally been the natural hinterland of Derry. Only a mile or two from the border lies the marvellous ring fort of
Grianan of Aileach, first mentioned in history in the fifth century and used as a temple and fortress for centuries. The structure was extensively rebuilt in the nineteenth century and is the best place to get your bearings: it affords wide views over Derry, Donegal and beyond. Inishowen stretches north of Grianan to Malin Head, and has some of the country's best and most deserted beaches, superb walks and championship golf courses. High points include Kinnagoe Bay, Culdaff Bay, the Gap of Mamore and the Ballyliffin Golf Club. The Inis Eoghain 100 drive circles the peninsula and should be driven at a leisurely pace, with frequent pauses!

East of Londonderry lies the gentler landscape of County Derry in Northern Ireland. The Sperrin Mountains rise in the east of the county and Learmount Forest Park and the wild moors of the Sperrin highlands typify the vivid contrasts of landscape that are such a feature of this region. Equally attractive for the visitor is the marvellous Blue Flag beach at Benone, which stretches for miles along the northern coast of the county; and the nearby pretty plantation town of Limavady. Closer to Londonderry, Ness Woods and its waterfalls are pleasant spots for a ramble on a fine day.

Along the north coast of neighbouring County Antrim runs the so-called Causeway Coast. This is home to the Giant's Causeway, a World Heritage Site and one of the geological wonders of the world. The great geometric columns of rock rise from the shores of the sea a few miles east of the lively resort towns of Portrush and Portstewart, while nearby lie the majestic ruins of Dunluce Castle on its cliff overlooking the Atlantic; and the famous Whiskey Distillery at Bushmills.